Fight or Flight
by ReluctantMudblood
Summary: A wounded pride is a very dangerous thing. A fact that bad tempered Leiney and her elder sister Sofia have had to learn the hard way. It seems no matter what land these girls are in they have to fight to survive.
1. Prologue

**This story is a re-post of mine under a new name with corrections. Rated T currently for swearing but may change to M depending on the direction of the story.  
Disclaimer- All chapters from here on out are based on the brilliant works of C S Lewis.  
Prologue and chapter 1 posted together.  
_Hope you enjoy and please review -RM_**

**Prologue**** \- Leiney POV**

Nothing felt as free as galloping across open land, letting the wind wipe through your hair, taking your hands off the reins was really like experiencing flying.

Of course there was always that added bonus of when you left your sister in the dust.

Easing back down into walk I hollered for Sophia to catch up, and when at last she finally arrived she was ghostly pale and her normally immaculate hair was framing her face more wild than a lion's mane. I couldn't help but laugh.

"I HATE it when you do that Lee! I just get the confidence on a horse then you take off like a mad woman! Then you have the balls to laugh at me because I'm scared!" She ranted off at me whilst I was choking back the laughter.

I should probably explain that Soph has been petrified of horses since one bit her when she was young, but being the pushy stubborn younger sibling I am managed to convince her to get on a horse and have had her hooked ever since, although she may not be the most confident at riding, she certainly was a natural.

"Lee? Lee ?! Are you even listening to me? You know how dangerous letting go of the reins even is? Do you know that Louis could seriously injure himself? Then injure you?" I just sighed and pointed Louis forward.

"You know, I think Maddy would actually quite like to just be able to let loose once in a while… Let her gallop freely?" I could tell by her face I was pushing buttons… The wrong ones, she loved Maddy more than anything and to make her think she was doing wrong by her? That was just horrible of me.

So to make amends I stopped and got off, she looked perplexed but dismounted all the same. I reached into my saddle bag and pulled out a box with a neat little bow and all at once her face lit up.

"Did you really think I would forget are little tradition?" I asked with mock sadness. It was the 30th of July, which we have celebrated for as long as I can remember since it being the half way mark between our two birthdays.

Sophia smiled warmly at me and explained with a small giggle "I had hoped not otherwise giving my present to you would have been rather embarrassing!" Whilst she had been speaking a squishy package had appeared in her hands.

We eagerly switched presents and whilst I tore through the wrapping paper Sophia delicately untied the ribbon and peered into the box. Inside was a decorative silver hair comb perfect for those times when her beautiful tangles of fiery red hair would just not obey her.

Whilst my present had me doubled over laughing. It was a pair of pajamas, but not just any pj's. They were black and the top read "These are my zombie killing pj's" in white while the bottoms were splashed in red, supposedly being blood. I simply loved them. We both tucked our presents a way to avoid damage. After re-mounting I persuaded her to go exploring just a little further.

As we approached two trees with a large enough gap for us to pass through, I thought I could see a golden shimmering light. It must have been the sun since Sophia didn't say anything. How wrong I was, as we passed through I felt like my body was being pinched all over and as Louis reared at the pain I turned to look at Soph experiencing the same thing. We shared a worried look and a combined mutter of "What the fuu" but were cut short by blacking out.


	2. Chapter 1 - Fear

**Chapter 2**

I woke up on something uncomfortable. Leaving my eyes to adjust to the surroundings I found myself in a room, not the woods where I had been on a ride. Panic started to fill me as I couldn't see my sister.

"It's OK dear she's safe, just next door. You took quite a fall from your horse! You both did, at the same time in fact thank Aslan we found you both! How are you feeling?" A soft gentle voice spoke.

_Fall? Must have happened when I blacked out, wait does that mean Sophia blacked out too?_ I thought, panic beginning to fill my head.

"umm my… my head hurts a little… Can I go see Sophia please?" Why I was asking I had no idea, this was my sister for goodness sake, but it seemed polite as this women had undoubtedly saved me.

"Of course, of course you must!" The woman started ushering me next door. It was horrible, Sophia was lying limp on the bed with a cut on her head and there was nothing I could do to help!

I turned to the woman and gave her a curt nod of thanks and ran to my sister's bedside. The woman smiled her kind smile "She'll be fine, wake up in a matter of minutes no doubt! I am Dora, by the way, the local seamstress, my husband John is the blacksmith and we welcome you both to stay here until you're healthy."

To put it simply I was amazed at this woman's generosity. Two complete strangers and she welcomed us with open arms.

"I'm Leiney and this" I gestured to Sophia's limp body "is my sister, Sophia. Thank you for your kindness but may I ask, where exactly is here?"  
"Archenland of course! But alas you're not from here are you? I can tell by your clothes"

I looked down at myself sheepishly, I wasn't wearing anything odd just a tight black spaghetti top with my two tone blue jodhpurs but looking at what Dora was wearing, I was clearly out of place. She was in a medieval-style dress that went right down to the floor, nothing majorly extravagant about it but still not anything like what you saw in England.

"Am I even on earth?" I asked mainly to myself but Dora responded anyway. "What's earth?" I thought I was going to break apart right there and then until Sophia softly said "Lee, I thought I could hear you panicking" She paused to chuckle then pushed herself up on to her elbows before continuing "So were not in England eh? Maybe we made it into Harry Potter!" I couldn't help but smile at her "Now, show me my horse!" She swung her legs over the bed with one fluid motion. Gave me a reassuring smile and strode towards Dora.

They participated in light hearted conversation, I would occasionally pitch in the odd comment but really I was still adjusting to everything. It was amazing how Soph just took everything in her stride I mean we were basically just pinched through a golden vale into another world! And you know what? She didn't bat an eyelid. Way to make me feel over the top sis.

We reached the stables where I smiled in relief to see my beautiful black horse safe and sound. "Louis! I'm glad you're safe and here too! I don't think I could have coped without you!"

"I will never leave your side my lady, for I am your horse!" Holy shit I think I just died. "What the fuck Louis!" I hissed, since when could my fucking horse fucking talk! Well that's fucking great all this stress has hit my swear button and now I'm not going to be able to fucking stop!  
"Language Leiney!" He scolded me. My horse just told me off for swearing? Could this be anymore odd? "She's just shocked dear" No. No. No. Not Maddie too! Oh dear freakin' lord! I turned flabbergasted to Soph who was just smiling at me.

I did adjust to the new way of life in this strange place over time. To repay John and Dora for their hospitality feeding and clothing us, I worked for John at his shop, almost as an apprentice if you will, he was teaching me all he knew and whenever we had a spare moment, he taught me how to fight with a sword.

According to John I was a natural, considering the man was at least double my height and weight I took that as a pretty large compliment and it didn't take long before I began beating him. John started enlisting the help of other men from the village who were supposed to be better than him at fighting and slowly I started to beat every one of them.

While I was doing this Sophia took to sowing with Dora, she was a natural and took to it with ease, also for Sophia sword fighting was not an interest but the woman was fierce with a longbow.

Us two sisters soon became talk of the town, appearing from nowhere and soon beating most people in tournaments. Men started asking to court Sophia from all around while I didn't get one offer, probably because they considered me one of the lads, like I had always been back home.

Though they didn't like that I was fiercely protective of Sophia, not wanting to see her get her heart broken again, but what they disliked even more was her not being remotely interested in any of them.

"I should have known _that _side of things wouldn't change, no matter what country we're in." I moaned as I beat an iron breast plate with alarming vigour. "They all want a piece of her and they just don't understand…"

"Calm down, little one." John said, putting his hand on my arm, "Now stop that harsh banging or Sir Percival will have a very ill-fitting suit of armour!"

"I'm sorry, John. Maybe we should give it a rest for today." I said, dropping my hammer on the worktop and turning to go.

"Wait a minute, Leiney. I think I've got something here that'll cheer you up." He said with a mysterious smile before pulling out from beneath the workbench a lump of silver and gold and a handful of jewels.

I looked from him to the precious stone and back again, mystified.

"What on earth is this?"

"Your sword."

"Right…"  
"Or rather, it will be, once you've made it."

"But you can't possibly give all this to me! After you've taken me and Sophia in and given us so much. This is just too much!" I tried to protest, but he cut me off,

"No, Leiney, it isn't. I'm sure it hasn't escaped your notice that Dora and I don't have any children, and the truth is that we can't have any. You've been like a daughter to me these past months, and I want you to have this. My father passed it to me when he died, intending that I should give it to my own child. Since I failed him on that account, I felt you were the one to have it. My father would have like you, he was quite the swordsman himself." John smiled at me, and although I tried to smile back, I couldn't keep the tears in.

"I'm sorry if I've upset you…" John started.

"No, no it's not that. I'm just so grateful, and touched that you think of me that way. I would be honoured to make it, if you'll help me."

It was almost midnight by the time we finished that evening, and I was still reluctant to leave the half-forged sword in the workshop.

We were still talking about the sword when we entered the living room, and for a second I didn't recognise my sister: she was dressed in an emerald green velvet gown that fell to the floor, where a gold embroidered hemline followed the bottom of the wide skirt.

"Isn't it wonderful? Dora gave it to me; she wore it to the Ball where she met John for the first time. Isn't that romantic?" She gushed, twirling on the spot in front of me.

"Yes?" I replied, perplexed. My head was still swimming with the thought of my sword, and Soph sighed.

"You are so unromantic, Lee."

Ignoring her and still thinking about how I was going to lay the sapphires into the hilt of my sword, bursting with excitement I nearly ran up the stairs to bed and threw myself under the covers and shut my eyes tight. My arms still aching from the day's work, I soon drifted into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, John woke me early and for once I jumped eagerly out of bed. We were back at work as the sun was pepping over the horizon, and I felt so proud as I read my own name, inlaid on the blade of the silver sword.

I spent the morning working on the hilt, gently melting the metal to that the sparkling sapphires would sit in just the right place for me to hold it comfortably. The work calmed me, and I felt truly at home for the first time since my sister and I had landed in this other world.

A shout distracted me from my musings,  
"Get the fuck away from me, creep!"  
Never before had I heard Sophia use language like that: I was impressed. That was before I realised that she was in trouble, and I ran, sword in hand, as fast as I could towards the source of the noise.

"You think you can lord it over us, don't you? None of us are good enough for the great Sophia. But I'm afraid it's you who won't be good for anyone once I'm through with you."

"Look… I'm sorry if I… Just… just…"

"Get your fucking filthy hands off my fucking sister, you piece of scum." I yelled, holding my newly forged sword in the air. I was feeling really quite pleased with myself and the look of pure terror that crossed his face before,

"Leiney! Language!"  
"Shut up Soph, trying to save your life here."  
"Oh, right. As you were."

I turned back to face the offending toe-rag, but he had already fled the scene.

"Well, that was brave of him." I sighed, tucking my sword into my belt.

"Don't tell me you're actually _disappointed_, Lee?"

"You're welcome, darling." I said sarcastically, laughing at my own wit.

Despite laughing with Sophia about the incident, I couldn't shake the sense of worry. I didn't let her out of my sight for the rest of the day, and that night I lay awake in my bed for what felt like eternity before a fitful sleep arrived.

My dreams were filled with shouts and it took a few seconds before I registered that they were coming from Dora, who was standing on the threshold of our room.

"You have to run, both of you. John's readied the horses, there are supplies for a few days but you have to hurry!"

"What is it? What's wrong?" I said, sitting bolt upright in bed and fumbling to put my boots on.

"It would appear the man you encountered yesterday has been rallying the villagers – he's saying Sophia is the White Witch come back and is using her magic to enchant them. You have to run, or they'll kill you both!"

I could hear the shouts more clearly now, and the hammering of boots on the high street. I looked stricken at Sophia, who was dressing herself hurriedly.

"_Why _do I only own dresses?" She was mumbling as Dora ran over to help her with the fastenings.

I've never been sure of how I knew to sleep in my clothes that night - a leather corset isn't the most comfortable attire – but I was glad of it in that moment as I raced down the stairs to meet John, who hoisted me into my saddle.

"I've packed all your things, and your sword is there as well. I made sure of that."

"Thanks, Dad." I mumbled, and saw his eyes fill with tears as he nodded in reply.

Sophia and Dora came racing into the stables, the older woman with tears streaming down her face as he husband put his arm around her.

"Take care, both of you." She sobbed, "Now go. Go!"

"Thank you for everything! We love you both." Sophia called as we galloped from the stables and into the dense forest beyond.


End file.
